Why Protect Antarctica
Antarctica’s Future is Our Future
This stunning wilderness shapes our world – from the weather we experience to the food we eat. Yet its role is often overlooked.
Rising seas, extreme weather, and a changing climate are all influenced by this stunning continent. Failing to protect Antarctica carries consequences for every corner of the globe.
SAEF works to uncover these connections, translating Antarctic research into knowledge and action that society, policymakers, and communities can use.
RISK 01: Faster Sea-Level Rise
Antarctica Maintains Sea Levels
The Antarctic Ice Sheet stores vast amounts of ice, and it’s melting. By 2100, sea levels could rise by 40 cm to 2 m.
Sea-level rise already puts millions of people and billions of dollars in coastal property and infrastructure at risk. Some homes already face a 1-in-4 chance of flooding over a 30-year mortgage. And the situation in the Indo-Pacific is much worse.
SAEF’s Antarctic research reduces uncertainty around the rate and timing of ice sheet change, guiding adaptation policies and informing stronger mitigation commitments.
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RISK 02: Harsher Weather Extremes
Antarctica Influences Extreme Weather Events
Shifts in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean climate are influencing global weather patterns across Australia and the tropics, including the El Niño Southern Oscillation and the monsoon.
The result is droughts, heatwaves, bushfires and floods – all of which have enormous consequences for the economy, for livelihoods and for the future of civil society in many regions.
At SAEF, we are unveiling how connections between our region, Antarctica and the far tropics work to improve our ability to predict and respond to extreme events and to lower their impacts.
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RISK 03: Faster Global Heating
Antarctica Keeps You Cool
The Southern Ocean absorbs more than two-thirds of human-made heat and about 40% of human-made CO₂ emissions.
Without it, there would be more CO₂ in the air and land surface temperatures would be much higher. The result: extreme events will have a greater impact on society and on vital ecosystems supporting us.
SAEF seeks to understand how this critical ecosystem service is likely to change, helping society plan for the future.
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RISK 04: Poor Transport of Heat & Nutrients
Antarctica Keeps Ocean Currents Moving
The Southern Ocean connects the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, moving heat and nutrients around the planet.
Changes to the Southern Ocean have consequences globally. When those currents slow or shift, fewer nutrients reach the surface, fish stocks drop, and weather becomes less predictable.
At SAEF, we seek to understand how and when these changes might play out based on changes in how the ocean, ice and the atmosphere interact. This knowledge helps us build models to inform governments and industries on what’s changing and when to act.
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RISK 05: Losing Early Weather Warnings
Antarctica Delivers Early Weather Warnings
Weather generated in Antarctica has profound effects on the Southern Hemisphere, including power provision, air travel, shipping, and agriculture.
Weather observations are among the longest-standing activities in the Antarctic region, and remain one of the most important. In fact, every dollar invested in weather forecasting returns about $11 to the Australian economy – value we risk without Antarctic research.
SAEF researchers help to better understand and model climate systems and their change, sharpening short-term weather forecasts so governments, industries and communities can act sooner.
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RISK 06: Blindsided by Solar Storms
Antarctica Delivers Early Warnings from Space
When coronal mass ejections erupt from the Sun, they can trigger geomagnetic storms that disrupt Earth’s magnetic field. These geomagnetic storms can disturb power grids, aviation, satellites, and all the human activities dependent on them. A large storm could cause millions of dollars of damage and months of recovery time.
Antarctica is one of the best places on Earth to observe the Sun’s behaviour and watch for early warning signs.
SAEF collaborates with partners to detect threats sooner so governments, industries and communities can prepare and keep critical systems online.
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RISK 07: Rising Geopolitical Tensions
The Antarctic Treaty Keeps the Peace
The Antarctic Treaty System sets Antarctica aside as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science. This international agreement keeps the region free from military activity and conflict.
If this framework weakens, the Southern Ocean could see increased militarisation – raising the risk of conflict and driving up defence costs for nations, including Australia.
SAEF’s contributions to a productive, effective Australian Antarctic Science Program help deliver the science and evidence required for a strong Antarctic Treaty.
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RISK 08: Losing Priceless Resources
Antarctica Provides Unique Resources
Antarctica and the Southern Ocean deliver essential services that keep society thriving. They absorb heat and CO₂, provide new compounds for health and wellbeing, and enable responsible tourism.
These services are valued at more than US$180 billion annually. If we fail to protect them, we risk faster warming, fewer medical breakthroughs, and economic losses.
SAEF’s Antarctic research equips decision-makers with the insight, foresight, and guidance to ensure these benefits are sustained and valued by policymakers, business, and civil society.
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RISK 09: Flying Blind on Climate Risk
Antarctica Reveals Our Past and Future
Antarctic ice cores provide a record of the past, and when combined with novel proxies (such as plant and animal DNA and cosmogenic nuclide isotopes), they reveal how the Earth system has changed and why.
Understanding this history helps us take action to prevent and prepare for the new world of extremes and change ahead.
SAEF has innovated in weaving ice-core records with various proxies and other data to understand Antarctica’s history and potential future of the ice sheet.
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RISK 10: Loss of Biodiversity & New Species
Antarctica Supports & Breathes New Life
Antarctica acts as a global biodiversity pump. It generates a substantial share of the world’s new species, especially in its marine ecosystems.
Antarctic species are widely valued for their unusual adaptations and for the insight they offer into our planet’s extraordinary diversity.
Our research explores the history, structure, functioning and conservation needs of Antarctic life, providing practical ways to secure its future, along with ours.
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RISK 11: Losing Clues to Life Beyond Earth
Antarctica Preserves Clues to Life Beyond Earth
Antarctica is the only continent with cold zones completely devoid of life, mirroring conditions on other worlds. Yet in places where little else can survive, hardy microbial communities thrive by scavenging trace gases such as hydrogen from the air.
These microbes can find one particle of hydrogen in a million particles of air. This “hydrogen economy” may be the key to finding and understanding simple life elsewhere.
SAEF’s research is leading the way in understanding the microbial hydrogen economy and its future in the Antarctic.
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RISK 12: Losing Vast Wilderness Areas
Antarctica Protects Irreplaceable Wilderness Areas
Antarctica holds some of the largest remaining wilderness areas on Earth. There are vast areas that have never been visited, and many others are rarely traversed.
This wilderness is important and is critical for the functioning of our Earth system.
SAEF uses new remote sensing tools, biodiversity informatics, and AI-assisted computational approaches to understand the state of Antarctic wilderness and the life it supports, guiding protection now and into the future.
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RISK 13: Losing Iconic Species
Antarctic Wildlife Induces Wonder
Some of the world’s most revered species – albatrosses, penguins and whales – live and breed in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. Their extraordinary feats of survival, migration and flight inspire wonder across Western and Indigenous cultures.
When iconic species struggle, we don’t just lose wildlife – we weaken cultures, stories and knowledge. That’s why we invest heavily in protecting culture in museums, conservation areas and archives, and safeguarding Antarctica does the same in the wild.
SAEF’s research identifies practical pathways to protect Antarctic species and ecosystems, helping governments and communities act before irreplaceable losses occur.
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RISK 14: Antarctica – Gone for Good
Protecting Antarctica Preserves the Planet’s Polar Life Support
No other place like Antarctica has been found on Earth or in our solar system.
If we transform the region dramatically, we lose some of the most unusual elements of our world: an ice-covered continent with unusual species at sea and on land.
SAEF’s research seeks to ensure we understand why this region must be valued and protected.
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It’s Not Too Late
Research is the key to safeguarding Antarctica
Without strong Antarctic science, we misjudge risk, act too slowly and allow avoidable losses.
SAEF gives leaders the evidence needed to slow sea-level rise, prepare for extremes, protect species and wilderness, and keep the Southern Ocean’s life-support systems working for us all.
Our work makes the stakes visible and choices clear so today’s decisions lead to a better tomorrow.
Antarctica’s Future is Our Future
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